[89]
Chloe set her phone down and took a slow breath, lifting the cup of tea that Peni had prepared for her. She also had her favorite low-sugar cookies as a companion. The gentle evening breeze caressed Chloe’s face, adding to the serenity of the evening.
Peaceful. Calm. There was no disturbance except for the sound of the water flowing in the fish pond at the corner of her house. Budi took good care of the koi fish in the pond. He said, “It’s beautiful, ma’am.”
It had been precisely a week since she last met Josh. Oh… He even accompanied her to the hospital, fulfilling his intention. He waited for Chloe until she finished all her tasks there.
Chloe still remembered, albeit briefly, the conversation she had with Leonel. Even then, Chloe refused to talk in a café or cafeteria. She insisted on speaking in a place where she was in the same area as Agatha and a few others.
Leonel reluctantly agreed, although his expression showed displeasure. Chloe didn’t care. She wanted to go home soon because she felt she had dealt with enough here. Although a big question loomed in her mind: was this accident intentional? Who could be so malicious to do all of this?
“Are you close to Josh?” Leonel asked without beating around the bush. They were sitting in one of the available seats, not far from people they knew, just as Chloe wanted.
But that wasn’t the only thing Chloe was thinking about. She was sure Josh would follow her if she were to leave with Leonel, whether to a café or outside the hospital area. She didn’t want any confrontation out there. Besides, Chloe already knew what Josh did to Leonel.Nôvel/Dr(a)ma.Org - Content owner.
What she needed to know was whether Leonel was aware of Josh’s cunning plan or not.
“Just normal,” Chloe quickly replied. “Is that the only reason you brought me here to talk?”
Leonel let out a frustrated breath. He also ran his hands through his face. “No. It’s not just that. That’s why I need to talk to you, Sa. Can we talk?”
“I don’t have much time.”
“Chloe, please. I won’t talk about our past relationship. It’s about what Josh did.”
“I know,” Chloe quickly interjected.
Leonel’s face stiffened, and his eyes stared at Chloe in disbelief. “You… Seriously?”
“Yes. Everything. I know everything, Leonel. I know what Josh did to you.”
“Or are you behind all of this?”
Chloe was taken aback, then scoffed in disbelief, accompanied by dismissive laughter. “You’re accusing me? Why don’t you accuse me of having an affair with Josh all this time? Simply because he wants me back?”
Leonel sighed deeply. “I apologize. I was wrong. I… I’m too stressed, and all of this is affecting me.”
“Next time, use your head, Leonel. Don’t just use it for your interests. There are other people you hurt with your actions!” Chloe retorted, crossing her arms. “I didn’t want to talk much with you, but your accusation made me think, am I really that despicable to you all this time?”
“You know, Chloe,” Leonel deeply regretted saying what he did. He was also surprised that Chloe knew what Josh did to Mountain. Leonel wondered why he immediately jumped to such insane conclusions. He tried to reach for Chloe’s hand, although she pushed him away repeatedly. Eventually, their hands intertwined again. “I was shocked when I learned you knew what Josh did to Mountain. I never expected that from him. I will handle it because it concerns Mountain’s reputation. I won’t let Josh get away with anything.”
“That’s your business.”
“I know. I apologize for saying those awful things earlier.”
“I’m used to being treated like that by you,” Chloe quickly interjected.
“Chloe,” Leonel pleaded softly. “I’m worried that if you’re too close to Josh, he might do something bad. And I won’t be by your side.”
“Peni and Brad are with me.”
Leonel felt somewhat relieved, but… “When did you find out that Josh was behind the chaos at Mountain?”
“A few days ago.”
Leonel kept that information to himself. He would gather everything to confront Josh. He wouldn’t let Josh roam freely when he had put Mountain in a dire situation. There were other impacts that Leonel felt as well.
“There’s one thing you need to know, Leonel,” Chloe loosened their held hands. Feeling satisfied, perhaps Leonel’s grip reassured him that he regretted saying those things to Chloe. “I want justice for what Ester did.”
Leonel fell silent, and his eyes locked onto Chloe’s. He didn’t expect Chloe to know either. No, it wasn’t that Leonel didn’t want Chloe to know about this. If Ester had committed a crime in the past against Chloe, he wouldn’t stay silent, just as he had told Ester yesterday in his apartment.
He would demand justice for this from Ester.
But… Chloe? Did she also hear this news from Josh?
“You… Did you also find out from Josh?”
“Yes. Josh kindly told me everything. Even though Ester and Josh worked together a lot, right? I didn’t expect that Josh’s approach was meant to expose Ester’s wickedness.”
Leonel thought otherwise, but Chloe responded cynically. Because Leonel didn’t seem angry, disappointed, or upset about Ester’s actions, damn it, Chloe! What did you expect? Ester is the woman Leonel loves. No matter how complicated their relationship is, they will indeed reunite.
The proof was despite all the swirling rumors; reality finally brought them to the long-awaited point: marriage.
Upon hearing this, Ester protested. “I won’t stay silent. Even if you protect her because Ester is your future wife, I don’t care.” Chloe stood up from her seat. She walked away with a great sense of anger in her heart. But why should she be upset?
She should have anticipated this.
Unlike Chloe, although still stunned in his place, Leonel began to wonder and finally came to one conclusion.
Josh deliberately leaked the information so that they all would know, including Chloe. And Leonel was confident that there were other big plans that Josh would execute. Leonel had to be prepared. Whatever it may be.
Meanwhile, Chloe, who was already upset, tried to calm her emotions. She didn’t want Josh to ask too many questions. She preferred to keep silent for now. What was his true intention, especially after observing Josh’s increasingly confusing behavior?
“Ma’am,”
Peni’s voice calling her snapped her out of her thoughts. At least Chloe didn’t have to dwell too much on this. “Yes?”
“There’s a guest.”
Chloe furrowed her brow. Since being dropped off from the hospital, Josh hadn’t contacted her again. She had no interest in that man. But she was surprised by the news about Ester and their past affair.
Chloe chose to stay out of the spotlight. She would only allow a few people, especially journalists, to meet her. She even thought, could this be Chris’s doing on behalf of Leonel?
But Chris didn’t do this. He said that everything was still under investigation. Further exploration could only be conducted after they needed experts to reconstruct the events in the past.
As this news circulated in the media, Chloe lost her freedom. Many people sympathized with her. They condemned Ester and demanded justice and appropriate punishment for her actions.
That’s right. That’s what Chloe hoped for, but different from this. She wouldn’t attack Ester directly in the media. There was no point in doing so.
Chris, whom she had informed, didn’t do it either, nor did Leonel. Chris made sure of it under oath.
So Chloe could conclude that this was Josh’s doing. Her decision to distance herself from Josh felt right.
“I’ve invited them into the living room, ma’am.”
“Oh,” Chloe blinked softly. It seemed like she was daydreaming again. “Who’s the guest?”
“Mr. Darren.”
Chloe’s smile widened. “Prepare some coffee then. Maybe Darren has just returned from the office.” She then glanced at her outfit. She confidently walked forward, feeling it was suitable and did not need to change. However, Peni’s facial expression looked unusual, not as cheerful as usual.
“But, ma’am,”
True, there must be something. “What is it?”
“Ms. Ester is here too.”
Chloe’s eyebrows furrowed. “Ester came with Darren?” She already started to feel suspicious. Why was Ester acting so strangely? Ah… It was just a coincidence that Ester came here. Chloe would repay the pain she caused, planning something she never expected.
Her fists clenched tightly. Her gaze was now filled with emotion.
“No, ma’am. Mr. Darren arrived first. He spoke with Brad for quite a while. They were discussing something important. But when Ms. Ester and that snake-like woman started causing a scene because they weren’t allowed to enter, Mr. Darren intervened.”
Chloe became curious about what Darren and Budi were talking about. But considering Darren’s talkative nature and how enjoyable it was to listen to his storytelling, Brad probably didn’t mind spending a long time with him.
“So, well… Ms. Ester is also waiting for you in the living room.”
Chloe set aside her curiosity for now. There was something she had to deal with Ester first.
She had to.